Runaway-stop.



J. PETERSON.

RUNAWAY STOP.

APPLICATION nun 8I2IT.20, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912;

3 SHEETS-EHIIET lv ATTORNEYS J. PETERSON.

RUNAWAY STOP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

WITNESSES 52 K ATTORNEYS.

J. PETERSON.

RUNAWAY STOP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20 1911.

1,019,699. Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

28 .ll 1 l WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS JOHN PETERSON, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

RUNAWAY-STOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Application filed September 20, 1911. Serial No. 650,410.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PETERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Runaway-Stop, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to runaway stops, and has reference more particularly to apparatus for halting runaway horse-propelled or other vehicles,'and is employed in combination with a bridge or other roadway, comprising a normally inoperative, movable member adapted when projected into an operative position to be engaged by a vehicle which can be controlled and manipulated simply and rapidly from distant points.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a bridge roadway showing an embodiment of my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing certain of the parts in diiferent positions; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the bridge roadway; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the roadway, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 55 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 isalso a transverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 7 -7 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 88 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention it should be clearl understood that while I have illus trat ed t he apparatus as applied to a bridge roadway, and notwithstanding that it is particularly advantageous as used with the same, it can also be employed for like purposes in connection with other roadways or structures along which diiierent vehicles travel. It will be understood that a runaway horse-propelled or other vehicle is liable to cause material damage upon a roadway such as that of a bridge, which is frequently narrow and crowded.

My invention provides means for surely and expeditiously bringing runaway vehicles to a halt, without injury to the vehicles, thereby also obviating the danger of damage to other vehicles.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I have shown for example, a bridge roadway 10, consisting of suitable planking or the like carried upon stringers or beams 11, and having at the sides uprights 12 upon which are carried side rails 13. It will be understood that the structural details of the bridge form nopart of my invention and that the stringers 11 may be I-beams, the posts 12 of hollow, angular cross-section, and the rails 13 also I-beams., At one or more suitable points along the length of the roadway, the rails 13 of the bridge are interrupted to form gaps 14 in which are located rail sections 15 somewhat shorter than the gaps, and eachpivotally connected with a corresponding end of a rail 13 by means of a suitable hinge 16. Leaf or other springs 17 secured to adjacent uprights 12 engage the rail sections 15 and tend normally to raise them into alinement with the rails 13. The rail sections are held in the normally inclined positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3, by

means of catches 18 engaging keeper extensions 19 of the rail sections and mounted at the ends of transverse shafts 20 ournaled in bearings 21 of the outer stringers. It will be seen that when the catches are released by suitable means which will be described hereinafter, the rail sections 15 swing upward under the influence of the springs 17, for a purpose which will appear below.

For the sake of brevity I will describe but a single apparatus, notwithstanding that one or more may be applied along the length of the roadwa at suitable points thereof. Adjacent to t e shaft 20 I provide a second transverse shaft 22, likewise journaled in bearings 23 of the outer stringers, and having secured rigidly thereto at one end, a double lever 24, the arms of which are connected with operating lines 25 ex,- tending in different directions to suitable points of the roadway at which are stationed operatives for the purpose. These operatives are preferably bridge attendants whose locations permit them a clear view of the roadway so that they will readily see any approaching runaway vehicle. The roadway at the apparatus. is provlded with a transverse groove or recess 26 in whlch is located a rod 27 mounted at the ends of arms 28 rigidly secured to the shaft 22. The rod 27 constitutes a normally inoperative releasing member which does not interfere with the bridge traffic when it is placed in its normal position in the recess 26. A similar, parallel recess 29 extends. across the roadway under the rail sections 15, as does the recess 26. Located within the recess 29 is a length of chain 30, the ends of which are secured in any convenient manner to travelers 31 normally positioned upon the rail sections 15. The member 30 constitutes a normally inoperative barrier adapted to be engaged by the vehicle when it is projected into'an operative position. A line 32 or other suitable connection joins one of the arms 28 and one of the catches 18so that after the shaft 22 has been operated to project the-rod 27 a further movement of the shaft 22 will release the catches 18.

Each of the travelers 31 comprises an elongated, channel-shaped body having at the lower edges in-turned flanges 33. The travelers are movably mounted upon the rail sections and are likewise designed to travel along the rails 13 with the flanges 33 engaging underneath the upper flanges of the rails. thereof, are located vertical rollers 34 mounted upon suitable spindles 35 and engaging at the flange edges of the rails. Similar transverse rollers 36 mounted upon spindles 37 are provided within the travelers, and engage at the faces of the upper rail flanges. The travelers are thus mounted to move with a minimum of'friction. I prefer to secure the chain 30 to the'travelers by means of lugs 38 extending from the inner faces of the travelers and provided with openings to receive the end links of the chain.

lug .39 provided with an opening to receive the end link of a chain 40. These chains 40 pass over channel-shaped saddles 41 having downwardly disposed, rounded ends and V Within each traveler, at the sides Each. I traveler furthermore, at the rear end has a 46 carried at the ends of a transverse shaft 47 journaled in bearings 48 atthe lower ends of the uprights. The shaft furthermore, has a central brake drum 49 upon which is .partly wound a chain 50 or other flexible member, permitting the shaft to'be actuated from a convenient controlling station, by one of the operatives.

The operation of my invention is as follows: As soon as one of the bridge attendants perceives a runaway vehicle approaching the apparatus, he employs one or .the other of the controlling lines 25, to operate the shaft 22 to project the rod 27 into the position indicated in Fig. 6. In this projected position of'the rod 27 the line 32 connecting it with the catches is tautj Consequently, when the vehicle engages the rod 27 this is swung about into engagement with the roadway, whereby it releasesthe catches so that the rail sections 15 will assume their elevated position under the tension of the springs 17. This movement of the rail sections raises the chain 30 so that it engages the running gear of the vehicle, between the wheels of the same. As the vehicle advances chains 40. The operative then applies the brake mechanism to tighten the chains 45 to bring the brake shoes closely into engagement with the chains 40. Itwill be readily understood that by means of the brake devices the movement of the chains 40 can be strongly resisted and the vehicle thus quickly brought to a stop.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters 9 Patent 1. In combination with a roadway, a normally inoperative, movable barrier adapted. when projected into an operative position to be engaged by a vehicle traveling along said roadway, and a normally inoperative controlling member for said barrier, said controlling member being adapted to be operated by the vehicle.

2. In combination with a roadway, a normally inoperative, movable barrier adapted when projected into an operative position to be engaged by. a vehicle traveling along said roadway, a normally inoperative controlling member for said barrier, said controlling member being adapted to be operated by the vehicle, and means for rendering said lastumntioned member operative,

3L In combination with a roadway, two normally inoperative members adapted to be successively engaged by a vehicle traveling along said roadway, when said members are projected, one of said members controlling the othcr. V

4. In combination with a roadway, two

normally inoperative members adapted to position, and means connecting said releasing member and said last-mentioned means,

whereby the engagement of said releasing member by a vehicle releases said barrier.

6. In combination with a roadway, a nor- 'mally inoperative releasing member, means for setting said releasing member whereby it assumes an operative osition, a normally inoperative, movable arrier, means for holding said barrier in a normal, inoperative position, means connecting said releasing member and said last-mentioned means, whereby the engagement of said releasing member by a vehicle releases said barrier, and means for controlling the movement of said barrier from a distant point.

7. In combination with a roadway, a normally inoperative releasing member, means for setting said releasing member whereby it assumes an operative position, a normally inoperative, movable barrier, means for holding said barrier in a normal, inoperative position, means connecting said releasing member and said last-mentioned means,

whereby the engagement with said releasing member of a vehicle releases said barrier, and brake mechanism for controlling the movement of said barrier to bring the vehicle to a stop.

8. In combination with a roadway, a normally inoperative releasing member, means for setting said member from a distant point, a normally inoperative barrier member, a traveler connected with said barrier member, a catch for holding said barrier member in an inoperative position, and a connection between said catch and said releasing member, said connection being normally relaxed, and being operative when said releasing member is projected.

9. In combination with a roadway, a normally inoperative releasing member, means for setting said member from a distant point, a normally inoperative barrier memher, a traveler connected with said barrier member, a catch for holding said barrier member in an inoperative position, a connection between said catch and said releasing member, said connection being normally relaxed, and being operative when said releasing member is projected, brake mechanism for controlling the movement of said traveler, and means for operating said brake mechanism from a distant point.

10. In combination with a roadway, a rail, a traveler arranged to move along said rail, brake mechanism for controlling the movement of said traveler, a normally in operative barrier associated with said traveler, a normally inoperative controlling member for said barrier, and means for setting said controlling member from a distance.

11. In combination with a roadway, a rail, a traveler arranged'to move along said 'rail, brake mechanism for controlling the movement of said traveler, a barrier connected with said traveler, means for holding said traveler in a normal position such that said barrier is in a normally inoperative position, a normally inoperative releasing member, means whereby said releasing member can be actuated to release said traveler from its normal position, and means for controlling said releasing member from a distance.

12. In combination with a roadway, a rail, a movable rail section having a normal position, a traveler normally positioned upon said rail section, a normally inoperative releasing member, means for controlling said releasing member, a normally inoperative barrier member operativel. connected with said traveler, means w ereby said releasing member controls said rail section, and means for controlling the movement of said traveler.

13. In combination with aroadway, a rail, a movable rail section having a normal position out of alinement with said rail,

-means tending to move said rail section into alinement with said rail, a traveler normally positioned upon said rail section, a barrier connected with said traveler, a normally inoperative releasing member, means connected with said releasing member for holding said rail section in its normal position, means whereby said releasing member can be set from a distance,'and brake mechanism for controlling said traveler from a distance.

14:. In combination with a roadway, a rail, a movable rail section normally out of'alinement with said rail, a spring tending to bring said section into alinement with said rail, a traveler normally positioned upon said rail section, a barrier member connected with said traveler, whereby said barrier is in an inoperative position when said traveler is in its normal position, locking mechanism for holding said rail section in its normal position, a normally inoperative releasing member, a connection between said releasing member and said locking mechanism, whereby said connection is operative when said releasing member is in its projected position, and whereby a further movement of said releasing member releases said locking mechanism, means for setting said releasing member from a. In, testimony whereof I have signed my distance, a line connected with said-traveler, name to this specification in the presence of and brake mechanism operable from. a distwo subscribing Witnesses.

tance and having said line pass throl'igh it; I JOHN PETERSON. whereby said brake mechanism can be op- Witnesses:

erated to control the movement of said trav- ALBERT Fmnsn',

eler. MIRIAIM A. CRAIG. 

